


Danger

by Wendymypooh



Category: The Young Riders
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-24 19:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6163522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wendymypooh/pseuds/Wendymypooh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being ambushed by some bad guys, Lou McCloud must defend a wounded Jimmy Hickok from further harm until help can arrive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Danger

Louise Mccloud crouched down behind the wizened old oak, her pulse racing, heart beating twice the speed it normally did, and wondered if she was going to live through the night.

She had faced many dangers before as a Pony Express rider, but this was by far the worse yet. Not only did she have her very life to protect, but also Jimmy Hickok's as well. 

She could hear his shallow breathing that ended on a rattling note that indicated to her that one of his lungs had been punctured from the unexpected gunshot he had taken when they were riding down the trail heading back to Sweetwater.

One minute they had been laughing and talking, the next minute Jimmy was falling to the ground, and Lou was screaming his name as she reined Lightning in and leaped from her horse to go to his side. 

"We've got to get out of here...too open,” Jimmy gasped out as he struggled to his feet, his free hand pulling a Colt free.

Lou had not argued with his assessment of the situation. Bullets were still whizzing by their heads, even as she put one arm around his waist and helped him hurry toward a stand of trees in the near distance. It was the only good source of cover in the small valley they found themselves in. 

Jimmy was in no shape to climb up the steep embankment to reach higher ground, and they had not yet pinpointed how many assailants there were after them. 

That had been several hours earlier...Now it was pitched black out, clouds shading the stars above from shining light down on her and Jimmy's location. Hickok had helped to fend off the bad guys until he was too weak from loss of blood to sit up. Lou had bound the gunshot wound as best as she could, but feared that it just was not enough.

She batted back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She could not afford to fall apart. She had to protect Jimmy even if that meant giving up her own life to do it. 

Lou could only hope that Lightning and Sundancer had made it back to the way station and the other PX riders and Teaspoon were on their way to rescue them. 

The eerie silence of the night was beginning to get to her. For all she knew, the bad guys were closing in on her and Jimmy's position, and she would not see them before they were up close and personal. 

A sound behind her caught her attention and she whirled around, placing her body in a protective position in front of Jimmy as a shape began to emerge from the darkness 

She cocked her gun and said through gritted teeth, "Don't move or I'll kill you."

"It's me, Lou," 

Lou almost dropped the gun she was holding at the sound of the Kid's voice. "Kid?"

"Yeah, Lou...Cody’s with me." 

Lou lowered her gun and her two fellow riders moved forward. Kid swept her up in his arms and held her close, while Cody checked on Hickok. 

"Jimmy's in a bad way..." Lou told the blonde haired rider. "I tried to stop the blood as best I could, but it wouldn't close off all the way." 

"Don't worry, Lou...Doc will fix Jimmy up in no time," Cody told her reassuringly. 

Three rapid gunshots shattered the quiet around them, making all three riders jump before Kid sent out a returning shot. 

A few moments later, the rest of the riders and Teaspoon joined the three riders and their injured friend. Jimmy was quickly placed on a travois built by Buck Cross, and the party hurried back to town. 

They reached the doc's house a short time later and a waiting game began as the group waited for word on the condition of the injured Jimmy Hickok. 

When the doctor came out a short time later and told them that Jimmy was going to live even though he had lost a lot of blood, Lou's tears finally fell. Kid gathered her close and held her as she cried as the rest of the group gave a collective sigh of relief that they were not going to lose one of their own that night.


End file.
